Magic in You
by InChemistryWeTrust
Summary: "Your escort. Nagisa thinks that he can't let you attend the gala alone. You need a backup. A professional one. So… Nagisa knows a guy who knows a guy who knows someone that running a certain business… in escorting services."


**I don't own Free!**

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When he swims, he only wants to feel the water. He doesn't care about time or winning.

Or so he thought.

During his high school days, he had learned that accepting the water hadn't been enough. It had made him content and peaceful but not yet happy.

Because while his peace lies in the water, his happines stays above it.

He decided to swim professionally after high school. His decision had brought him to a wider world.

Different view of the pool, different taste of the water, however he always found the peace among them.

He swims and swims until it delivers him to world stage podium.

Nanase Haruka, 21 years old, the world famous swimmer athlete from Japan.

The peace of the water has shifted his surface world into a noisier spotlight.

.

The moment his feet steps on the platform, the scent of home encloses him at once. There is this particular scent in Japan that Haruka notices he hasn't found in any other countries. It is subtle but rich, a little sweet but heavy, and clearly brings nostalgic feeling.

"Ha-ru-chaaaan!" Among the crowds of hundred people in the airport, a rather stand-out blond-head pops out with his usual big beam smile.

Haruka indeed misses home. "Nagisa."

Nagisa sprinted toward Haruka's side and taking over his friend's luggage. "Rei and I have been watching you in TV! You are so cool!" He is jumping excitedly. Knowing Nagisa, Haruka bets he will bump other people accidentally in the way.

Haruka grabs Nagisa's shoulder, halting his hopping. "Where is Rei?"

"He is waiting for you in the parking lot. Ohhh... I will give you a heads-up. There are plenty reporters waiting for you at the exit gate."

Haruka sighs, he should've expected nothing less. Even though, he secretly hopes that the crowd in Japan and his popularity is not that well. Afterall, swimming is not a popular sport in the country.

"You are very famous, you know." Nagisa pulls out a folded newspaper and a magazine which both had featured Haruka's face on the front cover. "You are the only Japanese athlete that had won the gold in three times strike. Also... you are still single." Nagisa points out the last fact followed with a playful wink.

"You're kidding." Haruka deadpans. He has a sudden urge to run back to the plane and goes to a deserted island until the commotion about him disappears.

"I wish." Nagisa smirks. They reaches the exit gate when countless flashes and several reporters ambushes Haruka and Nagisa at once.

"Nanase-kun, tell us about your feeling of having winning the third strike gold!" One man with a suit half-asks half-shouts at him.

"Nanase-kun, what's your opinion about your opponent this year?"

"Nanase-kun, what's your plan for next year?"

"Nanase-kun, are you in relationship now?"

Huh.

He tilts his head on the last question. He is wondering what the connection between his relationship status and his sport achievement?

"People want to know more about you, Haru-chan. You are a celebrity now. Prepare yourself." Nagisa helps his friend passing through the sea of reporters until both of them gets inside the car.

Haruka really wants to jump back to the plane and flies far away from there.

.

They didn't tell him about a formal gala which will be held tonight. In fact they deliver the invitation exactly 5 hours before the event starts.

A formal gala. Epmhasizes in the 'Formal'. It means the event will require suit and important VIP people.

"It is held by the Prime Minister to welcome Japanese athletes and celebration for Gold Medalists." Rei explains after he has finished reading the invitation letter.

"I'm going to calling in sick." Haruka is already half-way typing his excuses to the event coordinator.

"It is also said that you are required to make a speech. You are the most inspiring athlete in this country..." Nagisa adds, taking a peek on the letter. Rei smacks him on the head as he wants to save the news for later to break to Haruka.

"Don't worry, Haruka-senpai! We will help you!" Rei quickly says. "They say you can bring a plus one with you." Rei shifts his glasses and exchanges glances with Nagisa for a moment.

"Haru-chan, I can-"

"No." Haruka already knew what his friend's offer will be. "Most of athlete's plus one are their couple. It means you will be getting the earlier interrogation about being my boyfriend." The blue-haired gold medalist doesn't have doubt about his friend's loyalty to him, however even Nagisa cannot possibly handle the attention and scrutiny of cameras.

Nagisa blushes then turning at Rei, knowing both of them are out of options now.

"Then help me staging my early death." Haruka states with very serious expression. The thing he hates the most is being in the spotlight. Talking in front of people follows right after that.

Haruka sighs, he gets up and heads to the door. "I'm out."

"But Haru-chan!"

"I'm out." Haruka repeats.

Both of his friends do not try to persuade him to stay anymore.

.

He misses the water. Right now, his surface world is being too difficult to breathe in.

Haruka settles himself and waits at the nearest bus stop. He plans to catch any bus randomly until he has wasted the day away.

He doesn't bother about his next plan after that. One thing for sure that he will apologize to both Nagisa and Rei for abruptly leaving them.

Someone takes a seat behind him, Haruka is still too deep in thought.

Then the smell of mackerel hits him, snapping him out of his daydream. His stomach growls rather loudly, reminding him that he hasn't had any proper meal since yesterday. He was too anxious and excited to come home that he didn't feel like eating. Now that his anxiety has gone, replaced by irritation and exhaustion, his stomach demands a payment.

The person beside him shifts, Haruka catch it from the edge of his vision that the smell of mackerel has come from that person. Haruka turned his head fully that now he got a perfect view of the man beside him.

A big man-perhaps the same age as him with soft brown hair is opening a home-made lunchbox. The man has delicate feature about him. It is weird considering the perfect muscles and his huge body. Haruka observes a little more and his gaze stops right on a pair of greenest eyes he has ever seen. He has found the source of warmth in this person.

Suddenly he isn't sure that the blue is his sole favorite color anymore.

"Ano..." The man looks troubled. "I apologize if the mackerel smell is bothering you..." A frown now decorates on his forehead.

Haruka knows that he has been staring at the man too long that it will be inappropriate to keep doing so. He lowers his gaze back to the bento.

"It's alright. I like mackerel." Haruka replies shortly.

That moment, Haruka's stomach has decided to go on strike by growling louder.

Haruka is thankful that no one else but the stranger beside him in hearing area. The palm of his hand is his only barrier to cover his reddening face.

"It seems you haven't had lunch yet." The good-looking stranger says with concern in his voice. "Here, I'll give it to you." He hands his lunch to Haruka.

It will be rude to accept it, and on top of all, it is a total embarassing situation for him. "No, I can't."

"Yes, you can."

Haruka eyes the stranger who owns a pair of very gorgeous green eyes. Usually, persistent peole annoy him to the point that make him stress more. The moment Haruka's eyes rests on this person though, oddly gives him a calming effect.

He accepts it reluctantly. When the person beames, Haruka knows that he was right to accept the lunchbox.

"I'm Makoto."

Haruka finally can put a name on the face. "I am Haruka." He doesn't want to give his complete name in case of suddenly attracting unwanted attention around him.

"It's nice to meet you, Haruka." Makoto said, extending his hand with genuine smile on his face.

Haruka feels he react 2 seconds too long while dumbfounded by Makoto's smile.

For the second time, he reaches out to Makoto's hand. "Nice to meet you too."

Makoto check out the time on his watch. "I want to show you something."

It startles Haruka that suddenly, out of nowhere Makoto conjured a white rose on his hand.

Makoto's hand moves, and swings again. The white rose then turns into a small dove which in next second immediately sets out to fly away.

Haruka's mouth hang open, hasn't finished his first shock. "Did you keep a bird all this time inside your pocket?" Haruka finally manages to blurt a question.

Makoto chuckles, shaking his head. "My pocket isn't that big. If I did, there would be frogs jumping around instead of doves."

The image of several green frogs suddenly pop out of Makoto's clothes make Haruka laughs inwardly along with Makoto.

"You have a nice laugh." Makoto comments.

Hiding his startled expression, Haruka follows with a retort, "You have a nice magic."

The playful green eyes are turning back into genuine kindness. "Thank you. Nanase Haruka. It's not a real magic, but what you are doing in the otherhand... it's a wonderful feat."

Haruka is rendered speechless. Makoto knows about him all along.

When the bus comes, Makoto excuses himself as he has to go to work. Haruka doesn't follow him, albeit his plan to hop in the first random bus.

.

His phone rings, the caller ID shows that it is Rei calling him.

"HARUKA SENPAI!" Rei is yelling on the other line. Haruka winces as it is very unusual for Rei to shout and yell over the phone.

"Haru-chan!" Nagisa follows in the background. "You have to come tonight! The other athletes refuse to come if you are not coming tonight!"

Haruka sighs, "Why they do that?"

"Haru-chan, you are underestimating your influence among us! You are national phenomenon! An icon! A miracle in today's generation!"

Haruka rolls up his eyes. He really dislikes it when people put so much hope and expectation on him. He loves to be free, uncommitted to any other's burdens and prospects.

"Stop being dramatic much." He replies briefly.

Haruka knows the final outcome of this conversation. He will yield. He will come back, put on suit, attend the gala, make a short speech, throw some fake smiles, and go home. It has always been like that.

"Just... Give me 30 minutes. I'm on my way back." Haruka hang up.

He feels like hypocrite. He claims to never care of other people's thought about him. Yet, in the end, he will choose an easy path where he will step up and please everyone around him.

He misses the water. But now, he also misses a particular shade of green.

.

Nagisa does a final touch on Haruka's hair while Rei is fixing Haruka's tie. Tonight is not their first rodeo, grooming Haruka up to attend an important event. Both, Nagisa and Rei have been Haruka's most loyal friend, confidants, sometimes functioning as bodyguards, managers, and pranksters. Haruka will never get used to with various kinds of pranks both his friends like to plan on him.

He hopes tonight, they will not do anything silly on him.

The apartment doorbell rang. Haruka has a right to worry since he doesn't expect guest tonight.

"It's cool! I got it!" Nagisa says, holding Haruka in place so he will not get to the door himself.

Haruka flicks his gaze on Nagisa's counterpart. Rei never lies to him, he can't actually since he is a very bad liar. "Who is that?"

"Uhm… Your escort." Rei replies hesitantly.

"My what?"

"Your escort. Nagisa thinks that he can't let you attend the gala alone. You need a backup. A professional one. So… Nagisa knows a guy who knows a guy who knows someone that running a certain business… in escorting services."

Haruka is waiting Rei to laugh and tell him that it was a joke. It never comes and Haruka knows better that Rei is always serious.

"An escort. Like a person to be someone's company and being paid per hour?"

"… Yes?" Rei squeaks. Haruka presumes that Rei had been telling Nagisa that it was a bad idea, but Nagisa is more stubborn than a boulder. It has always been a losing battle for Rei when an argument breaks between Rei and Nagisa.

"I don't need a girlfriend…" Haruka continues. He is tired and frustrated.

He is about to flee through the back door when Nagisa blocks his exit way.

"Haruka-chan." Nagisa sings a song his name. It is usually a bad sign. "Your escort is waiting by the door. It's rude to make him wait."

"Look, Nagisa- wait…" _Did he say 'him'?_

"Yes, him. He seems nice and how the girls usually put it…? Quite dashing, actually." Nagisa grins and grabs his best friend then pushing him along to the front door.

Haruka is too shock that he has let Nagisa pushing him around like a trolley.

When he reaches the front door, Haruka catches a sight of a figure standing with a back facing him. The figure was leaning slightly on the door with his arms crossed in front of him. From his back, Haruka acknowledges that his figure fills in nicely with athletic muscle. His escort is wearing a dark pants, a dark grey suit, and he assumes, black button up shirt beneath the tailored-suit.

The striking messy brown hair of his mysterious escort feels awfully similar.

His escort turns around and Nanase Haruka freezes on his feet.

It is Makoto.

The bus stop Makoto.

The Mackerel Makoto.

The gorgeous green eyes stranger Makoto.

The magician Makoto.

Nanase Haruka is the world famous Gold Medalist swimmer athlete. He is the best in water. He swims like it is his second nature.

Yet, tonight, he is drowning… drowning in the sea of Makoto's green.

.

"Haruka." Makoto greets him first. His smile is friendly with understanding in his eyes.

Haruka is not the only one who is surprised.

Gathering his courage, Haruka approaches Makoto. "Makoto."

Nagisa whistles behind him, "Whaaat… you both have known each other already? That's great!"

Haruka glared at his best friend. If this is some kind of new prank, he is banned to any access of his fridge for a while. Yes, Haruka's fridge holds plenty variation of sweets courtesy by Nagisa.

"Are you alright?" Makoto asks.

Haruka notices that he has been quiet for a while and looking irritated. Makoto has caught on him easily.

"I have been to several formal events beforehand. I will not be a burden of you tonight. In fact, my service is to make you feel more at ease." Makoto gives a reassuring smile.

With Makoto's eyes, the guy could say that pigs fly and Haruka would've believed him in advance.

Nagisa clears his throat in the background. Haruka almost forgets his best friend is still here.

"Makoto is a professional escort that usually accompanies some executive guests in events like this. You shouldn't be worried Haru-chan. You are in the best hands." Nagisa winks at both of them. The shorter guy then leads both of them outside the house, in other words, chasing them out of the house. "Now, go you two!"

The door closes and Haruka can hear that Nagisa has locked it from inside. Giving Haruka no excuse to back out now. Sometimes Haruka wonders if he is spoiling his best friend too much.

"Shall we, then?" Makoto's voice breaks the silence.

His escort extends his hand to Haruka. For a third time today.

"I hope you have eaten tonight. Cannot have the growling stomach in front of the prime minister, huh." Makoto smiles when Haruka accepts his hand.

It will not be Haruka if he is not ready for a comeback, "I hope you keep the doves and the frogs in the cage. Cannot have them flying and jumping around on the Minister's head."

Makoto laughs. Haruka smirks.

Haruka feels that tonight will not be so bad after all.

.

.

.

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 **I don't know if it will stay as one-shot or chapters. Guess, I'll see your opinion about this. What do you think?**


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